President

Retired Sergeant from the Scotts Valley Police Department with 40 years of service with the City of Scotts Valley. Donna began her career as an Emergency Dispatcher, Dispatch Supervisor and later became a sworn peace officer. She worked various assignments including Patrol, Juvenile, Investigations and became a Sergeant with assignments in Patrol and Investigations. In November 2008 she was elected to the Scotts Valley City Council. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Fallen Officer Foundation since 2006.

Vice President

Mac began his career in law enforcement in 1973 with the Mt. View Police Department. During his 50 years of service, he has worked with the Los Altos, Watsonville, and Marina Police Departments. He was a DA investigator in Santa Clara, as well. He ultimately retired in 2005 from the Santa Cruz Sheriffs Office. Mac has his bachelor’s degree from San Jose State and his teaching credentials from UC Berkeley. He has spent the last 40 years as an academy instructor at South Bay Regional and Gavilan College, as well as teaching for POST. Mac is an original founder of the FOF in honor of his friend Robert Jones’ tragic bicycling accident. Mac currently serves as the Vice President of the Fallen Officer Foundation.

Treasurer

Liz Flores, Treasurer. Liz became involved with the Fallen Officer Foundation in 2005. Both her husband and father-in-law as well as several other family members were First Responders in Santa Cruz County.

Volunteering with the foundation was a great way to give back to those that serve the citizens of the county.

Liz graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from San Jose State University and then became a Certified Public Accountant, concentrating on tax services. Wanting to assist clients with additional financial services she pursued the Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) accreditation from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Liz provides investment advisory services and financial planning to high-net-worth clients at Legacy Wealth Advisors, LLC in San Jose. Liz has over 20 years of experience providing financial and investment planning advice and tax services. Liz is a member of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA). Liz is also a long-time member of The All-Star Financial Group (ASFG) and has served as its president.

Jim Almeida is a founding member of the Fallen Officer Foundation who has helped to shape both the organization and its mission. Jim is a Santa Cruz County Attorney, whose practice area is civil litigation. In addition to board membership of the Fallen Officer Foundation, Jim is a Board Member and Past President of the Santa Cruz County Trial Lawyer Association. He has also been awarded the Pro Bono Award by the Santa Cruz County Bar Association for his work providing legal services to disadvantaged Santa Cruz County residents. Jim moved to Santa Cruz to attend UCSC and stayed to raise three sons as a single parent. Jim enjoys his work on this Board because the dedication and the spirit of the first responders of Santa Cruz County exemplify the spirit of community that convinced Jim to make Santa Cruz his home.

Larry received his B.A. degree from the University of Pennsylvania, his M.A. degree from the University of Maryland. Formerly a professor of sociology at the University of Kansas, Larry received his J.D. from Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America and was admitted to the Bar in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and California in following years. He moved to Santa Cruz in 1989 and became a partner at the firm Comstock, Thompson, Kontz and Brenner, where he specializes in Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Administration and general business law, including Corporations, LLC’s, Partnerships and Real Property Law. Larry is a Past President of the Santa Cruz Bar Association and of the Santa Cruz Bar Lawyer Referral Service. Larry is currently a member of the California Bar Business Section and the Santa Cruz Estate Planning Council. His community affiliations include the Santa Cruz Boys & Girls Club (board member and Past President), Santa Cruz Rotary (board member), and Fallen Officer Foundation (board member).

Larry has been a native of Santa Cruz County for over sixty years. He served on the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad and Bike Patrol Unit. Prior to becoming a Deputy Sheriff’s Officer, he played Professional Basketball around the world and currently participates in Track and Field at the Police and Fire Games around the world. Larry’s is affiliated with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. and International Police Association. Larry became a board member in 2013. We welcome Larry’s enthusiasm and dedication with the Fallen Officer Foundation in their goal of assisting first responders in Santa Cruz County.

Shea started her career in Law Enforcement with the Capitola Police Department as a Reserve Officer in 1992. Shea put herself through the Police Academy and was hired by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office in 1994. She has had many assignments through her career, including Patrol, D.A.R.E., Court Security, Recruitment and Hiring, Investigations, and Community Policing. Shea was promoted to Sergeant, and then later to Lieutenant where she managed a variety of assignments and projects in Corrections and Records &Civil. Shea retired in 2017.

Shea has lived most of her life in Santa Cruz County, where she enjoys the outdoors, cycling, running, working out and competing in triathlons. She has a Bachelors degree in Political Science and a Master’s in Public Administration from San Jose State University.

The Santa Cruz Fallen Officer Foundation is in my heart and my goal is to help those who are in need in our Public Safety Family.

Colleen McMahon retired in 2013 as a Lieutenant with the with the Santa Cruz Police Department where she served since 1989. She has served in Patrol, Investigations, Street Crimes as an undercover officer and unit supervisor, School Resource Officer, Patrol Sergeant, and Administrative Sergeant. Colleen was the first School Resource Officer in the county and served on many committees to address juvenile issues. Colleen is active in her community and has been a board member of the Fallen Officer Foundation in Santa Cruz County since its first year. She also teaches motorcycle safety courses at the local community college for the California Motorcycle Safety Program and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. When she’s not working, you can find Colleen riding motorcycles across town and across the country. Colleen is also the proud mother of Justine Hamer, a Marina Police Department Officer.

Kristine is passionate about programs that support first responders, and kids and their needs along with small business. She serves or has served on many boards including the Grind Out Hunger, Second Harvest Food Bank, Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre, Aptos Chamber, Walnut Avenue Women’s Center, Scotts Valley Little League, Scotts Valley Pal Football, the Santa Cruz Kidney Foundation and The Santa Cruz County Business Council. Kristine grew up in Santa Cruz and is married to a retired Firefighter Captain/Paramedic with three adult children. Her paying gig is as a Vice President with Santa Cruz County Bank.

Carol Tara. Carol was born and raised in Santa Cruz and continues to reside in Santa Cruz with her family. She is the proud mother of two children; daughter Kirstyn, and son, Justin. Carol is from a large family, most of whom all continue to live in Santa Cruz. Her eldest brother is a retired Captain for the Scotts Valley Fire Department where he had worked for many years and which prompted her interest in community involvement. Carol is presently the General Manager for Stagnaro Brothers Seafood Inc. She enjoys the outdoors and hanging out with family and friends. Carol is passionate about our community and our first responders, and all that they do for us. She began volunteering for the Fallen Officer Foundation in 2011 and proudly became a dedicated board member in 2017.

Kenny Simon. Kenny started his professional career in 1998 as an EMT in Santa Clara County. He then became a paramedic in 1999, working in Santa Cruz County. In 2001, he started his fire service career as a Firefighter Paramedic with the City of Watsonville. In 2008, he transferred to the City of Gilroy and finally found his way home with the City of Santa Cruz Fire Department in 2009. He graduated from Cabrillo College with a degree in Liberal Studies and is committed to representing firefighter Health and Wellness by serving as a section chair in Santa Cruz County. He currently serves the City of Santa Cruz as a Fire Captain and has been with the Fallen Officers Foundation since 2011.